Pinion MGU E-Drive System in the first test: The beginning of a new e-bike era?

Test / E-Bike: With the Pinion E-Drive System or the Pinion MGU, there is an exciting new name in e-bike drives. As a combination of gear shift and mid-engine, it is currently unique on the market. A classic shifting system is therefore superfluous, whether on a city bike or an E-MTB. We took a close look at the new system, tested it on the test bench and in practice.

As an editor in the bicycle industry, you can try out, test and appraise new products and bikes many times a year. A lot of it is exciting, but there is rarely a product that gives you the feeling that it will change the market – permanently. This is exactly how it is with the Pinion E-Drive System or the Pinion MGU. Central motor and gear shift in one unit, both state-of-the-art, virtually maintenance-free and without additional weight. Developed and manufactured in Germany and right from the start with numerous well-known partners and many different bikes from Enduro E-MTB to compact bikes and cargo bikes. This is groundbreaking.

With gear know-how to the e-drive

Pinion is certainly not a new name in the industry, but it should not be familiar to everyone. The manufacturer, based in Denkendorf near Stuttgart, has been on the market since 2008 and has been able to gain a good reputation with innovative manual transmissions, especially among touring cyclists. Shortly after it was founded, however, the development of what the Swabians present today under the name Pinion MGU began: the combination of the tried-and-tested gearbox with an electric motor. Twelve years after the initial idea, this product has now become reality and represents a real novelty on the e-bike market.

More information and detailed impressions can be found in our test video:

People have gotten used to the separation of the drive on the e-bike into motor and gears. It has grown organically out of the history of the bicycle and nothing else is known. But: From a technical point of view, the division of the powertrain brings with it some problems: The communication between the two parts is complex and often non-existent. Even if some modern systems such as Shimano Di2 or Bosch eShift try to start here, they are still two separate components that are often in competition - keyword shifting under load. It is precisely at these points that the Pinion MGU comes into play.

Gears: 12 or 9 gears, up to 600% bandwidth

For the integrated manual transmission, Pinion was able to fall back on the experience from its actual core competence. The result is impressive. The Pinion MGU is available as a variant with nine or twelve gears with an overall ratio of 568% or 600%. Impressive numbers - in the cosmos of gear shifting, at best the Rohloff E14 can keep up and even modern derailleur gears from Sram or Shimano don't come close to this range. In addition, there are the system-related advantages of a gear shift: Changing gears while stationary? no problem! gear jumps? evenly. Wear and tear? unavailable!

Bandwidth of different circuits in comparison

The gear changes take place in fractions of a second, thanks to the communication between the engine and transmission, even under load without losing support. The impulse to change gears comes from a compact trigger shift lever on the handlebars and is transmitted electronically. This also eliminates the need to set or adjust the circuit. Pinion calls its shifting system Smart.Shift. By the way: Even with an "empty" battery, the system can still carry out around 1.000 switching operations.

Engine with impressive performance data

As impressive as the manual transmission may be - the combination with a motor makes the Pinion E-Drive system or the Pinion MGU really unique. A German-made, brushless motor for industrial applications, which has been adapted for the e-bike, serves as the basis.

Its performance data are no less impressive than those of the circuit. Pinion specifies a motor power of 600 W for the pedelec version and 800 W for the S-Pedelec counterpart. Our test bench measurements were able to confirm this. After deducting the power loss, we were able to achieve a motor power of approx. 580 W, which means that the Pinion MGU is just as powerful or even a bit more powerful than most other mid-mounted motors on the market, such as a Bosch Performance CX.

Specifying the maximum torque is a little more complicated. Due to the integrated gearbox, the torque on the drive shaft is not directly comparable with other drives. This is why one speaks here of a "comparable drive torque of approx. 85 Nm" with a virtual 1:1 ratio. However, up to 160 Nm should arrive at the rear wheel in gears one to four. A value that is not specified by other manufacturers.

Four support levels and two basic tunes

As a driver of the Pinon E-Drive system, you can choose from four support levels: Eco, Flow, Flex and Fly. The Flow and Flex modes are adaptive modes that dynamically adapt the support to the pedal pressure, similar to the eMTB mode with Bosch drives. In all support levels except Fly, you also have the option of tickling the maximum performance out of the system at the push of a button without having to change the mode yourself.

The integrated pushing aid, which also acts as a starting aid, is also exciting. After activation via the remote, the system switches to its most effective gear and accelerates. You can already make yourself comfortable on the saddle, but the drive still pushes you: This makes a seamless change from starting to pedaling in technical terrain much easier.

Basically, the Pinion E-Drive system comes in two tunes: Comfort and Performance. The respective bicycle manufacturers can select these depending on the area of ​​application. The performance setup should be used on E-MTBs in particular, with faster power development and a more dynamic response, while the wheels with Comfort Tune should feel more harmonious and natural. If you want, you can also adjust all support levels to your own wishes and needs after purchase via the Fit E-Bike Control app.

Pinion E-Drive System: It's all in the combination!

Both components of the Pinion MGU - motor and gears - are quite impressive on their own. The real highlight, however, is their combination in a single unit. In this way, the engine knows at all times which gear is engaged and can adjust its own speed depending on this and the cadence entered. This should result in a much rounder, more harmonious riding experience than with the classic combination of gears on the rear wheel and a mid-mounted motor on the bottom bracket.

This combination also enables intelligent switching functions such as Pre.Select and Start.Select. In both cases, it is a kind of semi-automatic: If desired, Start.Select will engage a predefined gear when stopping to make starting easier. Pre.Select goes one step further: After specifying a desired cadence, the system always changes to the right gear, depending on the current speed, while "rolling", e.g. on the descent.

All of this – i.e. engine and transmission – is housed together in a closed magnesium housing that is only slightly larger than modern mid-engines. With a weight of 4.000 g (9 gears) or 4.100 g (12 gears), it is slightly higher than the "naked" mid-motor, but this is put into perspective by the fact that an e-bike with a Pinion E-Drive system does not have a conventional gear system at all can.

The weight of the Bosch Performance CX is calculated at 2.900 g and corresponds to that of many other mid-engines (e.g. Brose Drive S Mag). The Shimano EP8 is around 300 g lighter, the Yamaha PW-X3 around 150 g lighter. With the derailleur gears, we calculate with the weight of the rear derailleur (+possibly battery) and cassette.

By "saving" the gears on the rear wheel, completely new possibilities arise for bicycle manufacturers. Almost all e-bikes with Pinion MGU come with a belt drive. There are also two tangible advantages on the E-MTB: no more rear derailleur that you can tear off in the heat of the trail battle and a central focus. While the weight of the drive train on a regular E-MTB is distributed between the bottom bracket (middle motor) and rear wheel (rear derailleur and cassette), on a Pinion E-MTB it is centrally located at the lowest point of the bike.

Pinion MGU: Extremely low-maintenance and virtually wear-free

The Pinion E-Drive system also wants to set new standards in terms of durability and maintenance. Since all components are located in a closed and completely sealed housing, they are protected from external influences. Like the motor, the gearbox should be maintenance-free and not show any significant signs of wear. According to Pinion, the system "Tested beyond every imaginable bandwidth, distance, stress, service life and testing standard that an e-bike can experience."

Due to its design, the gears cannot be shifted, and thanks to the electronic transmission from the shift lever, there is no need to adjust the cables. In combination with a carbon belt, you get a system that is maintenance-free for a very long time, even on sporty E-MTBs. An oil change is necessary after approx. 10.000 km – but this can be done in less than ten minutes.

With such full-bodied promises, a certain skepticism is always appropriate. However, since the well-known Pinion gearboxes were able to keep these promises, we are confident - nevertheless: It remains to be seen to what extent the Pinion E-Drive system really does provide a maintenance-free drive.

Cooperation with FIT: Batteries up to 960 Wh

However, a complete e-bike system requires more than just a convincing drive unit. That's why FIT, a strong partner, was brought on board for the rest of the peripherals. The Swiss take care of the software, control panels, displays, batteries and the app. The cooperation also has the great advantage that Pinion can fall back on an existing network of specialist dealers and partners who are already familiar with FIT.

There is a lot of choice for the bicycle manufacturer when it comes to the batteries: either the so-called ultra-core battery with 480, 720 or 960 Wh is used here, or the slim TP700 with 700 Wh. A range extender with a full 535 Wh will also be available - correspondingly can one actually almost speaks of a second battery here. They are charged either via the standard charger with 4A, which can be upgraded to a fast charger with 6A at a specialist retailer by means of a paid software upgrade.

There is even more choice for the control panels than for the batteries. Since the Pinion E-Drive system is used on a wide variety of e-bikes, from cargo bikes to city bikes to e-MTBs, this is also necessary. If you want a "real" display of your own, you can choose between the large Display Comfort and the somewhat more minimalistic Display Compact. Both are combined with the Basic Remote. Alternatively, you can also use your own smartphone in combination with the (chargeable) drive screen of the FIT e-bike app. The FIT Remote Display, which has a small color display integrated in the control panel, is even sportier. The FIT Remote Pure, which is just a narrow ring on the handlebars and is combined with the so-called Master Node in the top tube, is extremely minimalistic. We will probably see the latter on the first Pinion E-MTBs next year.

All threads of the FIT system come together in the smartphone app, which is available for iOS and Android in the respective stores. After scanning the individual key card of the e-bike, all support levels can be adjusted to your own needs. Settings for Smart.Shift such as Pre.Select and Start.Select can also be made here. In addition, there is a navigation system with a range calculator and the smartphone becomes a display via the (chargeable) drive screen. Safety features such as deactivating the drive via smartphone are also included.

Pinion E-Drive System: Nine bicycle manufacturers and numerous models at launch

A new, innovative drive system is all well and good - but on which e-bikes is the Pinion MGU actually installed? Here comes the next big bang: Nine well-known manufacturers are presenting new bikes with the drive system. E-MTBs are available from Rotwild, Simplon and Bulls, Kettler, Flyer, Pegasus, i:SY, Tout Terrain and Zemo bring a wide variety of bikes for touring and everyday use from full-suspension SUVs to compact bikes. The Pinion E-Drive system will be available exclusively in these bikes by 2024, with other models from other manufacturers to follow in model year 2025.

Pinion MGU: How does the drive fare in the test?

Like all current drives that are relevant to the market, we have also extensively tested the Pinion E-Drive system, both in practice and on the test bench.

The Pinion E-Drive system on the test bench

A look at the maximum output of the Pinion MGU shows that it is a very powerful mid-engine that can even outperform top dogs such as the Bosch Performance CX or the Brose Drive S Mag. Only power drives like the TQ HPR120s deliver significantly more power. By the way, adjusted for the power loss of the system (e.g. tires), we achieve a pure motor power of approx. 580 W, which is very close to the information from Pinion (600 W). We also wanted to know whether the engaged gear of the system affects the maximum performance. Our measurements show that there are differences, but in the most extreme case they are around 60 W - this should hardly be noticeable in practice.

Let's take a look away from the "extreme situation" of maximum power and look at a more everyday scenario - namely the power with only 100 W input power - the picture is confirmed: With approx. 580 W, the Pinion drive is also one of the most powerful representatives on the market and is very well suited for those who want strong support even with little personal effort.

In addition to the power output, we also measure the consumption of the drive or the complete system. We noticed slightly above-average consumption with the Pinion E-Drive system both on the flat and on the mountain. However, one must not forget: The laws of physics also apply here and since the power output is slightly higher than that of the competition, it is actually only logical that the energy consumption is in a similar ratio.

Concrete statements on practice can only be made to a limited extent, but if we use the values ​​we measured as a basis, you can expect about the same range from an e-bike with a Pinion MGU and 720 Wh battery as a bike with a Bosch CX and 625 Wh battery delivers. If you combine the Pinion unit with the large 960 Wh battery, you should get about 15% further than with a CX drive and 750 Wh. However, as always, the range depends very much on the individual riding style, the terrain and the respective bike .

The Pinion MGU in a practical test

We already had the opportunity to test ride various e-bikes with the Pinion drive before the presentation. In addition to two E-MTBs from Bulls and Simplon, there was also a Flyer TR:X SUV E-Bike. Several things immediately stood out: The shifting behavior of the integrated gearbox takes some getting used to for derailleur drivers. The gear changes actually take place in fractions of a second and are much more abrupt than with a derailleur.

What feels a bit out of round at first becomes second nature after just a few minutes; both the speed of gear changes and the awareness that these are equally reliable at all times. Even under full load you don't have to accept any losses and the option of being able to switch to the right gear ratio when stationary also makes life easier for mountain bikers. The ergonomics of the trigger are really successful, the feedback when pressing is very good even with gloves. The bandwidth of the 12-speed gearbox we tested is more than sufficient for almost every situation.

Lots of power and sensitivity

How's the engine looking? Can he confirm the very convincing idea of ​​the test stand in practice? Yes, and how! Honestly, in some situations, the Pinion MGU feels even more powerful than the performance values ​​we measured suggest. The Pinion drive can score particularly well in a scenario where most other drives are weak: low cadence, difficult gear and that on the climbs. Even in this situation, we are pulled up the mountain with surprising ease, great! At the other end of the spectrum, i.e. at high cadence, it looks very similar. Even at 110 rpm we could not detect any noticeable loss of performance; Pinion itself states that the drive is designed for a cadence of up to 120.

We also have almost nothing but positive things to say about the sensitivity. The two adaptive driving modes, Flex and Flow, are particularly appealing here and allow fine dosing of the power. This was much more difficult with maximum support, although this behavior is likely to be typical of almost all current mid-engines.

 

Volume depends on the gear engaged

A somewhat complicated matter is the volume of the drive. On the positive side, he can definitely book the descent. We didn't notice any rattling in the drive unit and because there is no rear derailleur and the use of a belt instead of a chain, there are no unpleasant rattling noises here either. The two e-MTBs we tested, the Bulls Vuca and the Simplon Rapcon pmax Pinion, were quieter on the trail than many non-motorized mountain bikes.

There are also situations on climbs in which the drive is pleasantly quiet, although an audible hum is always present. In other scenarios, the drive becomes quite loud - that depends on the cadence, the support performance and also the gear engaged. The latter in particular is a special feature of the Pinion system and is quite unusual at first. Due to the varying speed of the engine depending on the gear ratio, there are always gears when shifting through the spectrum in which the engine is much louder. However, as soon as you shift up or down a gear or two, the background noise improves. This behavior may not please everyone, but given the many advantages of the transmission, it is absolutely bearable.

Pinion E-Drive System: Conclusion

With the e-drive system, Pinion, as a new name in the e-bike market, causes a bang from the word go. Not only is the combination of gear shift and central motor unique and offers many advantages. The two components themselves are also impressive: Huge range of gear ratios and a sensitive but powerful motor. It's hard to find the hair in the soup - sure, there should be better drives for a light e-bike, but for everything else? If the Pinion MGU can also fulfill the promises in terms of maintenance and durability, even the big names in the industry will have to dress warmly.